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Abstract:

A crate according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a
base, a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the sides of the
base and a pair of end walls extending upward from ends of the base. The
end walls each include a pair of spaced apart end columns each having a
side flange partially defining a bottle receiving pocket and a lower rib
projecting upwardly from the base between the side flanges. A handle
extends across the pair of spaced apart columns at each end wall.

Claims:

1. A crate comprising: a base; a pair of opposed side walls extending
upward from sides of the base; first and second opposed end walls
extending upward from ends of the base, the first end wall including a
pair of spaced-apart end columns each having a side flange partially
defining a bottle-receiving pocket, a lower rib projecting upwardly from
the base between the side flanges; and a handle extending across upper
portions of the pair of spaced-apart columns at the first end wall.

2. The crate of claim 1 wherein the side flanges are spaced apart from
one another, and wherein the lower rib is between the side flanges.

3. The crate of claim 2 further including a pair of rows of interior
columns generally aligned with the end columns, such that the
bottle-receiving pocket is defined between the end columns and two of the
interior columns.

4. The crate of claim 3 wherein the side walls each include a lower
portion and a plurality of side columns projecting upwardly from the
lower portion.

5. The crate of claim 4 wherein the bottle-receiving pocket is generally
centered on the handle.

6. The crate of claim 5 further including a plurality of bottles therein
including a first bottle in the bottle-receiving pocket, the bottle
spaced away from the handle.

7. The crate of claim 6 wherein the first bottle abuts the side flanges.

8. The crate of claim 1 wherein the handle is spaced outward of the lower
rib, such that there is a gap between an inner surface of the handle and
an outer surface of the lower rib.

9. The crate of claim 1 wherein the handle is spaced above the lower rib.

10. The crate of claim 1 wherein corner columns project upwardly at
intersections of the end walls and side walls.

11. A crate comprising: a base; a pair of opposed side walls extending
upward from sides of the base; a pair of opposed end walls extending
upward from ends of the base, the end walls each including a pair of
spaced-apart end columns each having a side flange partially defining a
bottle-receiving pocket, exterior surfaces of the end columns tapering
inwardly of the crate; and a handle extending across upper portions of
the pair of columns at each end wall, wherein the handle is disposed
outward of the tapered exterior surfaces of the end columns.

12. The crate of claim 11 wherein the side flanges are spaced apart from
one another, and further including a lower rib extending upwardly from
the base between the side flanges.

13. The crate of claim 11 further including a pair of rows of interior
columns generally aligned with the end columns, such that the
bottle-receiving pocket is defined between the end columns and two of the
interior columns.

14. The crate of claim 11 wherein the side walls each include a lower
portion and a plurality of side columns projecting upwardly from the
lower portion.

15. The crate of claim 11 wherein the bottle-receiving pocket is
generally centered on the handle.

16. The crate of claim 11 further including a plurality of bottles
therein including a first bottle in the bottle-receiving pocket, the
bottle spaced away from the handle.

17. The crate of claim 16 wherein the first bottle abuts the side
flanges.

18. The crate of claim 11 wherein exterior surfaces of the end columns
taper inwardly of the crate, the handle disposed toward the exterior of
the crate of the tapered exterior surfaces of the end columns.

Description:

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.
12/619,143, filed on Nov. 16, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to crates and more
particularly to crates for carrying beverage containers, such as bottles.

[0003] Many designs for crates for carrying beverage containers are known.
Some crates include a base having a pair of opposed side walls and a pair
of opposed end walls extending upwardly from the periphery of the base.
The crate may or may not have a plurality of interior columns extending
upwardly from the base between the side walls and between the end walls
to separate the bottles and partially define bottle receiving pockets.

[0004] For crates carrying smaller containers, e.g., approximately 16 to
24 ounce bottles, the bottles are typically arranged in a 4×6
arrangement, with four bottles arranged along each end wall. In this
arrangement, the center of the handle is aligned between two of the
bottles, thus providing sufficient room for the fingers of the user's
hand grasping the handle. However, with slightly larger bottles, such as
1.5 liter bottles, arranged with only three bottles along each end wall,
one of the bottles is aligned with the center of the handle, thus
reducing the amount of space for the user's fingers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A crate according to one embodiment of the present invention
includes a base, a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the
sides of the base and a pair of end walls extending upward from ends of
the base. The end walls each include a pair of spaced apart end columns
each having a side flange partially defining a bottle receiving pocket
and a lower rib projecting upwardly from the base between the side
flanges. A handle extends across the pair of spaced apart columns at each
end wall.

[0006] Any configuration where there is an odd number of bottles along the
end wall (e.g., 3×4, 3×5, etc), the configuration of the
handle and end walls will provide increased space between the handle and
the bottle for the user's fingers when the user grasps the handle.

[0007] These and other features of the application can be best understood
from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is
a brief description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crate according to one embodiment
of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 2 is an end view of the crate of FIG. 1.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a side view of the crate of FIG. 1.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a top view of the crate of FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the crate of FIG. 1.

[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates the crate of FIG. 1 loaded with bottles.

[0014] FIG. 7 is an end view of the crate and bottles of FIG. 6.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a side view of the crate and bottles of FIG. 6.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a top view of the crate and bottles of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] A crate 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is
shown in FIG. 1. The crate 10 includes a base 12, which may include a
plurality of interconnected ribs. The crate 10 further includes a pair of
opposed side walls 14 extending upward from side edges of the base 12.
End walls 16 extend upward from end edges of the base 12. The crate
interior is defined between the side walls 14 and end walls 16.

[0018] A plurality of side columns 18 project upwardly from a lower
portion 20 of the side walls 14. Interior columns 22 project upwardly
from the base 12. Corner columns 24 project upwardly at the intersection
of the end walls 16 and side walls 14. End columns 26 project upwardly
from a lower portion of the end walls 16. A handle 28 extends between the
end columns 26 at each end wall 16. The handle 28 extends along outer
edges of the end columns 26. The end columns 26 are tapered toward the
interior of the crate 10 while the handle 28 extends upwardly nearly
perpendicular to the base 12, along an outer footprint of the crate 10.
This maximizes the amount of potential space between the handle 28 and
the nearest adjacent bottle.

[0019] A side flange 30 extends laterally from the end columns 26 and is
continuous with a much shorter, lower rib 32, which connects the two side
flanges 30. The side flanges 30 partially define a bottle receiving
pocket and are part of a lower portion of the end columns 26. Above the
side flanges 30, an upper rib 34 extends generally perpendicular to the
base 12 and longitudinally relative to the crate 10 along an upper
portion of the end columns 26 below the handles 28. The upper rib 34 does
not contact the bottle or define the bottle receiving pocket or interfere
with a user's hand grasping the handle 28.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the side flanges 30 generally correspond to the
lower portion of the end walls 16. The lower rib 32 is significantly
shorter, many times shorter than the side flanges 30. This creates a
large opening above the side flanges 30 and a smaller opening between the
side flanges 30 and above the lower rib 32 for accommodating the user's
hand grasping the handle 28.

[0021] As also shown in FIG. 2, the columns, including the end columns 26,
may include notches 36 into which the upper ribs 34 of a similar crate
stacked on the crate 10 would be received.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a side view of the crate 10. As is shown more clearly in
FIG. 3, the handle 28 extends upward generally vertically relative to the
base 12 along the outer footprint of the crate 10, while the columns
taper inwardly.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a top view of the crate 10. As can be seen in FIG. 4,
there is a gap between the handle 28 and the lower rib 32, which defines
the outer periphery of that bottle receiving pocket. The space between
the inner surface of the handle 28 and the inner surface of the lower rib
32 (plus any contour or taper of the bottle) will be the amount of space
that a user has for their hand while grasping the handle 28.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the crate 10.

[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the crate 10 with a plurality of
bottles 50 stored therein. As shown, one of the bottles 50 abuts the end
columns 26 and the side flanges 30. The bottle 50 may or may not abut the
lower rib 32, depending upon the shape and taper of the bottle 50.

[0026] FIG. 7 is an end view of the crate 10 and bottles 50 of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a side view of the crate 10 and bottles 50 of FIG. 6. FIG. 9 is
a top view of the crate 10 and bottles 50 of FIG. 6. As can been seen in
FIG. 9, there is a gap between the inner surface of the handle 28 and the
adjacent bottle 50 in which the user can place their fingers when
grasping the handle 28.

[0027] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and
jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to
represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be
noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically
illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.